Hay-stacker.



PATBNTED APR. A. P. KEARNS.

HAY STAGKER.

'APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 4,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

anaemic-p PATENTED APR- 2, 1907.

A; 1-". KEARNS. HAY STAOKBR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1806.

8 SHEBTSSHBBT 2.

No. 848,832. Q I V PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

A.P.KEARNS. HAY STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

AARON F. KEARNs, or Moscow, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

HAY-STACKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed June 4,1906- Serial No. 320,152.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON F. KEARNS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Moscow, in the county of Woodward, Oklahoma Territory, haveinvented certain new and useful lmprovements in Hay-Stackers, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention appertains to appliances for stacking grain and which areadapted to be operated by horse-power and embody in their construction asupporting-frame and a pivoted fork or carrier for receiving the loadand depositing the same upon the stack.

The invention is designed, chiefly, to improve the general structure ofthe type of apparatus herein stated and admit of the parts beingadjusted and readily accessible for repairs or other purpose.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions bychanges in the structure and minor details without departing from thespirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a stacker embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side viewthereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the stacker,showing the fork or load-carrier elevated. Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of a portion of the fork or load-carrier, showing moreclearly the brace between the adjustable back and longitudinal bar andthe means for adjustably connecting said brace to said bar. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective view of the rear posts, showing the upper and lowerpulleys and the op erating cord or rope assmg therethrough.

Corresponding an like parts are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same referencecharacters.

The framework for supporting the operating parts is constructed in a wayto admit of its ready transportation over the round fromone place'toanother, and preferably comprises rrmners 1 and transverseconnecting-pieces 2. Posts 3 extend upwardly from the front portion ofthe runners and are provided at their upper ends with rollers 4.

Braces 5 are interposed between the posts 3 and the runners and serve tostay said posts in the direction of movement of the fork. Other braces 6stay the posts 3 laterally and are connected at their lower ends to thefront transverse connecting-piece. Posts 7 project upwardly from therear of the runners and are supplied at their upper ends with rollers 8and are strengthened by means of front braces 9 and lateral braces 10. Across-bar 11 is attached to the upper portion of the posts 7 and has itsend portions projected laterally to form stops to limit the outward andrearward movement of the fork or load-carrier. A single roller 12 isprovided near the lower end of one of the posts 7 and a pair of rollers13 are located near the lower end of the o posite post. The posts 3 and7 are upwardly diverged, this arrangement having been found to give thebest results. The fork or load-carrier comprises longitudinal bars 14,which have pivotal connection at their rear ends with the lower ends ofthe posts 7, said bars being connected near their rear ends by across-bar 15 and strengthened by braces 16, the latter being connectedat their rear ends to the cross-bar 15 and at their front ends to thelongitudinal bars 14 and arranged to extend across the runners and restthereon so as to su port the fork or load-carrier in horizontalposition. The cross-bar 15 is likewise adapted to rest upon the runners1 and materially assist in supporting the fork or load-carrier inhorizontal position. The fork proper comprises tines 17, transversebars. 18, and a back-support which is adjustable and pivotally connectedto the body of the fork. The cross-bars 15 are spaced apart andconstitute a head, and the tmes 17 are secured thereto.

The back support embodies a series of fingers 19, which are pivotallyconnected to the rear portion of the tines 17, a rail 20, and braces 21between certain fingers 19 and the longitudinal bars 14, said braceshaving adjustable connection with the bars 14 to admit of varying theinclination of the back support. The rail 20 is preferably attached totwo of the fingers only, and to said fingers are connected the braces21. The remaining fingers are disconnected from the rail 20 and restthereon when supporting the load. It is to be understood that all thefingers may be attached to the rail 20, if desired. The braces 21 havenotches 22 at their lower rear ends to make positive engagement withkeepers 23, applied to the bars 14 and prevented from disengagement withsaid keepers by keys 24, which are slipped into the keepers, so as toconfine the braces when moved to the required position. Upon removal ofthe keys 24 from the keepers 23 the braces 21 may be disengaged from thekeepers and move so as to adjust the back support of the rake orload-carrier to any angular position.

For actuating the fork or load carrier cords or ropes 25 are attached tothe forkhead and pass upward over the rollers 1, thence over the rollers8 and around and beneath the rollers 12 and 13 and laterally to makeconnection with the draft or other power by means of which the stackeris operated. Upon drawing upon the outer ends of the cords or ropes 25the fork or load-carrier is elevated, the bars 14 turning upon theirpivotal connection with the posts 7 and the cords or ropes 25 leavingthe rollers 4 after the fork has reached a position above said posts 3.When the fork or load carrier reaches the limit of its upward andrearward movement, which is determined by a project ing end of thecross-bar 11, the load is delivered upon the stack. A controlling cordor rope 26, having a spring in, its length, is connected at one end tothe head of the fork and at its opposite end to the front transverseconnecting-piece, and as the fork or load-carrier reaches the limit ofits upward or rearward movement said controlling cord or rope issubjected to tension by stretching of the spring interposed in thelength thereof. Hence after the load has been discharged the fork orload-carrier is started upon its return to normal or horizontal positionby the contractile action of the spring in the length of the controllingcord or rope 26. The grain or other product to be stacked is placed-uponthe fork in any manner and is delivered upon the stack in the mannerstated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In astacker, the combination of a framework comprising runners, pairs offront and rear posts projected upward from the runners, a cross-barconnecting the rear pair of posts near their upper ends and having itsend portions projected laterally beyond the said rear posts to formstops, a fork or loadcarrier comprising longitudinal bars having pivotalconnection with said posts, a crossbar and braces connecting saidlongitudinal bars of the fork and adapted to rest upon the runners andsupport the fork or load-carrier in approximately horizontal position,and means for raising and lowering the said fork or load-carrier.

2. A hay-stacker comprising the following elements in combination,namely, runners, transverse connecting-pieces at opposite ends of therunners, posts projecting upwardly from the ends of the runners andprovided at their upper ends with rollers, a pair of braces for eachpostinterposed between the same and the runners and their connecting-pieces,a cross-bar connecting the rear posts near their upper ends and extendedto form stops, longitudinal bars pivoted to the rear posts, cross-barsconnecting the front portion of the longitudinal bars and forming arake-head, tines secured to said crossbars, fingers pivoted to thetines, braces pivoted to certain fingers and having adjustableconnection with the longitudinal bars, a rail secured to the fingerswith which said braces are connected and forming a support for theremaining fingers, and operating-cords attached to the rake-head andpassing over the rollers at the upper ends of the aforesaid posts andadapted to have the operating force applied thereto.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AARON F. KEARNS.

Witnesses:

FRED BALLENTINE, D. S. BRITTAIN.

